FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


REGISTRATION

Q: Must I register at Weekly Trader Online Auction Service?


A: You can setup a user account to login and bid on items at Weekly Trader Online Auction Service by clicking on the "Register" link on our homepage. The registration form contains several required information fields which you must complete to become a registered user. Please remember to make note of your username and password for future reference. You can view the items for sale without registering by utilizing the "Browse" link, but you will need to login to bid and sell.


Q: I registered for Weekly Trader Online Auction Service and now I forgot my password. What do I do?


A: From the Weekly Trader Auction Service Homepage, click on the “Sign In” link. You will be prompted to enter your username and password. If you forgot your password, click on the “Forgot Password?” link. This will take you to the ‘Forgot Password Form’ where you will enter your email address and your password will then be sent to your email account.


Q: Can I use a P.O. Box at registration?


A: Yes, a P.O. Box address will be accepted but you must provide a street address too. The street address must be entered in Address Line 1 field and your P.O. Box number in Address Line 2 field on the registration page.


Q: How do I update my profile?


A: You can change your profile information on your profile by following the steps below:

1. Login to Weekly Trader Online Auction Service
2. Click “My Account Information” located at the top right of the screen
3. Click the “Edit My Info” tab to update your information
4. Update the necessary data
5. Scroll to the end of the page and press “Submit My Changes” button


AUCTION PROCESS

Q: The auction ended and I thought I was winning, but the current bid shows the text “Reserve Not Met.” What does this mean?


A: The seller placed a reserve price on the item and is not willing to sell for less than that. Therefore, a trade was not completed for the auction.


Q: What happens if I win an auction?


A: You will receive an email from Weekly Trader Online Auction Service that will detail payment terms and pickup/delivery instructions.



Q: What items are restricted for sale?


A: The following items can not be auctioned off at weeklytraderauction.com

* Adult Material
*

Alcohol
*

Animals and Wildlife Products- examples include live animals, mounted specimens, and ivory
*

Art
*

Artifacts- examples include Native American crafts, cave formations, and grave-related items
*

Catalytic Converters and Test Pipes
*

Cell Phone (wireless) Service Contracts
*

Charity or Fundraising Listings
*

Clothing, Used
*

Coins
*

Contracts
*

Cosmetics, Used
*

Counterfeit Currency and Stamps
*

Credit Cards
*

Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia
*

Drugs, Describing Drugs, or Drug-like Substances
*

Electronics Equipment- examples include cable TV de-scramblers, radar scanners, and traffic signal control devices
*

Electronic Surveillance Systems– examples include wiretapping devices, and telephone bugging devices
*

Embargoed Goods and Prohibited Countries- examples include items from Cuba
*

Event Tickets
*

Firearms, Weapons, Knives- examples include pepper spray, replicas and stun guns
*

Food
* Gift Cards
*

Government and Transit Documents
*

Government and Transit Uniforms
*

Government IDs and Licenses
*

Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable- examples include batteries, fireworks, and Freon
*

Human Parts and Remains
*

Importation of goods into the United States- examples include CDs that were intended only for distribution in a certain country
*

International Trading
*

Items encouraging illegal activity– examples include an eBook describing how to create methamphetamine
*

Lockpicking Devices
*

Lottery Tickets
*

Mailing Lists and Personal Information
*

Manufacturer's Coupons
*

Mature Audiences
*

Medical Devices- examples include contact lenses, pacemakers, and surgical instruments
*

Multi-level Marketing, Pyramid and Matrix Programs
*

Offensive Material- examples include ethnically or racially offensive material and Nazi memorabilia
*

Pesticides
*

Plants (see Weeds and Seeds)
*

Police-Related Items
*

Political Memorabilia
*

Postage Meters
*

Prescription Drugs
*

Prohibited Services
*

Real Estate
* Recalled Items
*

Stamps
*

Stocks and other Securities
*

Stolen Property and Property with removed serial numbers
*

Surveillance Equipment
*

*

Tobacco
*

Transit and Shipping related items- examples include blueprints of transit facilities, airplane operations manuals, and flight attendants’ uniforms
*

Travel
*

Weeds and Seeds
*

Wine(see also Alcohol)


Q: Can an auction be terminated?


A: Once an auction has been approved by the Admin it cannot be terminated or stopped. Exceptions may be to extreme and special circumstances and only by administrator. Once a bid has been placed, it cannot be canceled.


Q: As a registered user of Weekly Trader Online Auction Service, why am I blocked from bidding?


A: In the event a registered user of Weekly Trader Online Auction Service provides false information or defaults for non-payment or non-removal, he/she will lose all rights to place bids for other items. A blocked bidder will only be allowed to “browse” items available at Weekly Trader Online Auction Service. Once a bidder cures his/her default, he/she will be removed from the blocked status and given access to begin bidding on available items. After “Three Strikes” a bidder will be out for good.


PROXY BIDDING

Q: Can I change my proxy bid limit?


A: You may replace your proxy bid limit with a higher bid limit provided that the amount is greater than or equal to the minimum bid required by the system. The minimum bid is the current winning bid plus the amount of the bid increment.


Q: Why is it recommended to communicate with another member though the Secure Message Center?


A: The Secure Message Center is maintained by the administrator. Our administrator is well aware of the rise in frauds and scams and knows what flags to look for. Of course there's no such thing as perfect security, but by using our Secure Message Center that is one more step put into place to protect your transactions.


Q: How do I know that I've received a message in my Secure Message Center?


A: You will be sent an email to your personal email account that you registered with stating that you have a new message. Simply login to your account and click “My Messages”.


Q: Why did I win the auction at my proxy bid limit when it appears the previous bid was significantly lower than my proxy bid limit?


A: This happens when an opposing bidder is also bidding proxy. Although you do not see a bid placed at his/her limit, the opposing bidder’s proxy bid limit was high enough to force your proxy bid to the limit.


Q: I placed a proxy bid at the end of the auction my bid jumped to a higher amount. Why?


A: This is a case where the current price of the auction was less than the reserve price but a proxy bid was higher than the reserve price at auction close. The item was therefore awarded at the reserve price to the individual who had a proxy bid higher than the reserve price. This is valid since a proxy bid implies that the bidder is willing to pay up to his/her maximum bid.


Q: What is the difference between a proxy bid and a flat bid?


A: Proxy bidding is the ability to submit the maximum amount that a bidder is willing to pay for an item and to allow the system to incrementally bid on the bidders behalf up to the maximum amount entered. A flat bid is the lowest (minimum) bid that a bidder can place. Any increase or counteroffer of bidding using the flat bid method must be manually submitted by the bidder


Q: How do I cancel my bid?


A: You cannot cancel your bids. If you placed a proxy bid, you can reduce your proxy bid to the current high bid so that you are less likely to be the high bidder by the end of the sale. In cases of extremely abnormal circumstances, you should contact The Weekly Trader Online Auction Service to advise us of any circumstances that would warrant such a request.


Q: How do I pay for an item?


A: The seller gets to decide what payment types they will accept for an item. You can find what types are specified by looking under “Seller Info” in the item’s description page.


Q: What happens if I refuse to pay for or remove an item that I purchased on the Weekly Trader Online Auction site?


A: Failure to pay for or remove all items awarded within the specified time could result in termination of your contract.


Q: How do I view items for sale on Weekly Trader Online Auction?


A: From the Weekly Trader Online Auction homepage, click on the “Browse” link to view the complete catalog of items currently up for bid on our site. You can click on any of the categories to get a listing of the items available in that category. You can also search for items using our “Search” link by a keyword search or by category. Please be aware that while browsing the auctions, you will not be able to bid. Registration and login are required to bid on items.


Q: How do you view closed auctions?


A: From the Weekly Trader Online Auction homepage, you can select “Previous Event Results” for results from last week, two weeks, or three weeks ago.


DEFINITIONS:

STARTING BID OR PRICE: Is the price the seller sets as the “opening bid,” and it is mandatory. Note, the starting fee is determined by either the starting price, reserve price, or buy it now price, whichever is greater.


RESERVE PRICE: The lowest price at which the seller is obligated to sell an item, and it establishes a floor or minimum selling price. Note, the starting fee is determined by either the starting price, reserve price, or buy it now price, whichever is greater.


BUY IT NOW (BIN): This is your “let it go price.” Using the BIN option can encourage quick sales. The BIN option disappears once a bid is placed (or the reserve is met). Note, the starting fee is determined by either the starting price, reserve price, or buy it now price, whichever is greater.